Things I (Don’t) Worry About: Collapse of the Semiconductor Industry

From Peter Zeihan:

One of the most asked questions I receive is “what keeps you up at night?” So, I figured I would turn that question into a series called “Things I (Don’t) Worry About” where I’ll discuss all the things that have me tossing and turning and what helps me sleep like a rock. First on the docket is the semiconductor industry.

I’ve done a number of videos on semiconductors in recent times, so my concerns shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise…but let’s dive right in.

The production of semiconductors can be equated to the personification of globalization. These dinky little chips have one of the most complex supply chains in the world; think dozens of highly specialized companies helping chips move along the value add chain until they are finally ready to be jammed into your smartphone.

With that in mind, you can start to picture how little it would take to disrupt the entire semiconductor industry. This makes the competition between industry leaders Intel and TSMC that much more important, as it will help to expand operational capabilities and increase resiliency in the supply chain.

The bottom line is that even if China does not decide to invade Taiwan, we are already looking at a scary future for all that tech we know and love.